tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384485139216780514Sun, 05 Oct 2014 06:52:08 +0000BondsCaliforniaChazbathhedgehogsushiJessismoreJess in the UK. Here you'll find updates, rants, and other bits of randomness about the life of an American expat living and working in the South West of England.http://www.jessismore.com/noreply@blogger.com (Jess)Blogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384485139216780514.post-1719234602365251935Tue, 19 Jul 2011 17:17:00 +00002011-07-19T18:55:14.757+01:00Counting my blessings...<a href="http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb252/jevandyke/36weeks-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 395px; height: 479px;" src="http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb252/jevandyke/36weeks-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />So today I am 36 weeks pregnant. (I'm huge aren't I?!) In one week, I'll be considered "term" and if I go into labor, it won't be premature.<div><br /></div><div>I've been extremely fortunate to have an incredibly easy pregnancy... up to now.</div><div><br /></div><div>At this time in my pregnancy, I can go on for ages about why I want Peanut out: acid reflux, discomfort, especially when I'm trying to sleep, frequent bathroom trips, tiring easily, not being able to take a full breath, stabbing pains. I could go on.</div><div><br /></div><div>I realized last night that I really need to relish this time before he's here. Not only because the current peace won't last long, but also because carrying a child is one of the rewards of being a woman.</div><div><br /></div><div>So I'm writing this to compile a list of reasons why I am glad to still be pregnant so hopefully I can look back on it and appreciate these last few weeks rather than consider them a "difficult time."</div><div><br /></div><div>Reasons why I'm glad I'm still pregnant:</div><div><ul><li>After tomorrow I'm on maternity leave and I'll be able to enjoy it alone, doing the things that I want to do rather than answering to Peanut's every need.</li><li>Even though getting kicked in the ribs doesn't feel nice, every movement he makes is magical.</li><li>I still haven't registered that I'm going to be a parent soon and I don't think I'll have to go through that anxiety until he's here.</li><li>Even in England (where the majority of people are very grumpy towards strangers), people smile at me as I'm walking by.</li><li>I still get time with just Steve and myself to cuddle on the couch and watch movies or TV (except when the dog butts in)</li><li>I may not be sleeping well, but at least I'm sleeping!</li><li>Strangers are incredibly polite, letting me cross roads, holding doors open for me, asking if I need help, etc.</li><li>The pain of labor is still a distant thought.</li><li>I don't have to listen to a baby crying all the time, but I still feel like he's here and we're connected.</li><li>Right now, I'm an endearing pregnant woman. Soon, I'll be a woman with a pram in the way (even though right now I feel like I'm the size of a pram!).</li><li>I don't have to deal with people coming over to visit Peanut and me at inopportune times.</li><li>I can still walk my dog alone without worrying about a baby.</li><li>I'll get a great head start on Christmas gifts while I'm waiting for him to come.</li><li>I'll get to spend time alone with my mom when she visits before Peanut arrives.</li><li>I get all the attention and know full well that Peanut will get all the attention when he's here.</li><li>I don't have to feel guilty for eating an extra cookie (or few) yet.</li><li>It's perfectly acceptable for me to spend an entire day in my PJs.</li><li>Steve has to do the weeding because I can't bend down.</li></ul><div>Well, that's my list for now. I'm sure I'll add to it as and when. I really am fortunate to be in the position I'm in and I'm going to try every day to remember to appreciate the present rather than pining for the future.</div></div>http://www.jessismore.com/2011/07/counting-my-blessings.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jess)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384485139216780514.post-4538213455181531000Mon, 27 Jun 2011 19:06:00 +00002011-06-27T20:06:59.462+01:00The State of Mental Health in the UKHey all, I know it's been a long time since I've posted. &nbsp;So you know, everything is going really well and I'm starting maternity leave in just a few weeks!<br /><br />What I really wanted to discuss is my frustration with the way mental health is dealt with in the UK.<br /><br />Two years ago, my husband had a bad breakdown which led to him being put on both an antidepressant (citalopram) and a very strong anxiety medication (stelazine) which is actually classed as an antipsychotic. &nbsp;These were prescribed by our GP who has no special training in mental health treatment. &nbsp;This was also after a different doctor at our GP told him to take a bubble bath and "think happy thoughts" rather than actually treat what was going on.<br /><br />Since then, despite numerous complaints about his medication not working or bad side effects, my husband's medication "treatment" hasn't been reviewed. &nbsp;Not only is he on extremely strong drugs which he was put on right after a severe episode, the doctors haven't even bothered to check in on him to make sure that the medication is actually working for him.<br /><br />The majority of people I've spoken to in the UK who have been or are currently on antidepressants are on citalopram (Celexa in the US). &nbsp;What the healthcare providers in the UK don't seem to know, realize or accept is that everyone is different and it's not a matter of giving everyone the same drug and leaving it at that. &nbsp;Sometimes it take a year or more to find the right medication or combination of medications for a person. &nbsp;The NHS doesn't seem to care though and treats everyone like they're the same person.<br /><br />Medication itself is not even a complete treatment. &nbsp;If someone is prescribed medication, then probably 95% of the time, they should have some sort of mental therapy. &nbsp;Even if it's seeing a psychologist or psychiatrist once ever few months. &nbsp;Throwing pills at a problem is not the answer.<br /><br />Knowing this, we have done everything in our power to get better treatment for my husband, but the doctors don't want to hear it. &nbsp;They refuse to refer him to a specialist and when one time he came close to it, we were told he could not be accepted because he wasn't suicidal. &nbsp;Is that what it takes to be taken seriously? &nbsp;So people have to prove they're depressed and need help by trying to kill themselves?<br /><br />This whole time, it's been a struggle for my husband and I firmly believe that he'd be exactly the same if he were off the medication. &nbsp;In fact, he wouldn't have to deal with the annoying side effects so he might even feel better than he does now.<br /><br />Even after my husband had a severe panic attack last week, he went to the GP for an emergency appointment and was seen by the "bubble bath" doctor who only increased his medicine. &nbsp;He didn't bother trying him on something new which might actually work. &nbsp;He didn't ask how everything has been going and see if maybe they should try something else.<br /><br />Having a mental health disorder myself (bipolar disorder) and coming from a country where I was able to get bespoke and informed treatment, it's incredibly frustrating for me to see the way that the NHS, which UK residents pay for, treats mental health, particularly when someone I love is involved.<br /><br />The worst thing is that there seems to be nothing I can do about it. &nbsp;The doctors won't listen no matter how firm I am, the NHS site only says this about treatment:&nbsp;<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #585858; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">People with mental health problems need help and support to enable them to cope with their illness. There are many treatments, including medication,&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #585858; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">counselling</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #585858; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">,&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #585858; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">psychotherapy</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #585858; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">&nbsp;and self help.&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #585858; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">It is important that people with mental illnesses are told about the options available so they can decide which treatment suits them best.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #585858; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><br />I'm guessing that doctors don't read the NHS site very often.<br /><br />If anyone knows who I can write to about this, please let me know. &nbsp;I don't think I'll be able to do anything alone but I'd love to make my voice heard. &nbsp;And I'm sure I'm not the only one.http://www.jessismore.com/2011/06/state-of-mental-health-in-uk.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jess)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384485139216780514.post-2873475420520701412Sun, 15 May 2011 07:31:00 +00002011-05-15T08:31:25.278+01:00Yipee!Yesterday, after 3 and a half months of anxiously waiting, I received my ILR settlement permit. &nbsp;ILR means 'indefinite leave to remain' which basically meant, I'm a permanent resident of the UK.<br /><br />While I'm so pleased that I finally got it (having it means I'm eligible for certain benefits which I wasn't before), I can't help but wish I didn't need it. &nbsp;That Steve and I were "home" in California. &nbsp;Close to my family, our friends and everything that we love.<br /><br />There are some fantastic things about living in the UK - the fish and chips, the history and low cost of living (compare for California) to name a few - but even after nearly three years here, I don't feel any more at home than I did when I first moved over. &nbsp;I just feel like I know it better.<br /><br />I have a few friends I've made since moving here and some work colleagues which mean more to me than just colleagues, but I don't spend much time with them. &nbsp;And because of Steve's schedule, I spend most of my spare time alone. &nbsp;Good thing we have a dog.<br /><br />If I were back home, even living an hour and a half from my parents, I'd see them all the time. &nbsp;I have good friends all over the state so I'd always know someone wherever I moved to rather than being somewhere completely alone. &nbsp;I'd also have a car so I can actually go places without being stuck on the bus or train timetable.<br /><br />Oh well, the time will come someday when I can live at home again. &nbsp;Until then, I'll just keep complaining =]http://www.jessismore.com/2011/05/yipee.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jess)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384485139216780514.post-4260160947167352661Sun, 08 May 2011 14:08:00 +00002011-05-08T15:08:20.560+01:00Nappies, nursery and normal...So I've had a bad cold for the last 3 days. &nbsp;I feel like garbage. &nbsp;It's so not fair. &nbsp;Why can't they come up with something which pregnant women can take for a cold while they're pregnant? &nbsp;It's seriously annoying. &nbsp;There must be something. &nbsp;What a way to spend a weekend.<br /><br />We've decided on a name for the baby. &nbsp;No, you don't get to find out yet, you'll have to wait a few months, but I will say I am completely in love with it. &nbsp;I can't wait to have a baby with that name.<br /><br />I've been snapping up cloth nappies which I've found for sale at really cheap prices online. &nbsp;I'm only buying the first size just in case they're not for us. &nbsp;I really hope they are though because they're so damn cute. &nbsp;And they're cheaper than disposables. &nbsp;I got 20 nappies and 4 wraps for just over £60. &nbsp;They'll last us until Peanut is about 4-5 months. &nbsp;I think by then we'll know how we like them.<br /><br />So the nursery is coming along nicely. &nbsp;All I need are some baskets, a cotbed mattress, bedding and the cute space invader wall decals I found on ebay and it'll be complete. &nbsp;Well, except for the baby.<br /><br />I've still got 3 months left before he completes the ensemble. &nbsp;This part has been going really slowly, but at the same time zooming past. &nbsp;It's a bit odd, knowing I'm going to be a mother in just a few weeks. &nbsp;I know I should savor the freedom now, but I'm not. &nbsp;At least I don't feel like I am. &nbsp;Maybe savoring my finite freedom is just doing what I normally do.<br /><br />I don't feel any different. &nbsp;Shouldn't I? &nbsp;I should feel like a glowing, &nbsp;bumpy mother-to-be. &nbsp;But I just feel like me. &nbsp;Maybe being a mother will feel that way. &nbsp;Normal.http://www.jessismore.com/2011/05/nappies-nursery-and-normal.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jess)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384485139216780514.post-62239460543172075Thu, 24 Mar 2011 19:55:00 +00002011-03-24T19:55:26.342+00:00Pondering and Planning...Oh my gosh!! &nbsp;Two posts in one week?! &nbsp;What is going on here??<br /><br />Well, I happen to be off work for a week (don't get worried. &nbsp;I took it off). &nbsp;And there's a lot going on.<br /><br />Today we found out that we're having a boy. &nbsp;I couldn't be more excited. &nbsp;I know I wouldn't have been disappointed if he were a girl, but I sort of knew he was a boy and it would have been strange to have him turn out not to be. &nbsp;And he's got all the right parts and organs and they're all the right size and everything. &nbsp;Now I can start shopping for him.<br /><br />But that's not what this post is about, as fantastic news as it is. &nbsp;The real topic is much more unexpected.<br /><br />After much deliberation, I have decided to sell my computer.<br /><br />I've had my own computer for at least 10 years and now I'm giving it up. &nbsp;I know it sounds crazy, but there are several sane reasons for my decision though:<br /><br />1) I don't use my computer all that much anymore except to browse the web, check email, chat with friends online. &nbsp;All of these things I can do with my phone or my 10 year old iBook laptop which has never had anything go wrong with it.<br />2) Steve is still keeping his computer so if I absolutely need one which does more than my old little lappy, I can use his.<br />3) It's much easier to fit 1 desk with 1 computer in the living room rather than 2 desks and 2 computers. &nbsp;English houses aren't that big you know. &nbsp;So now our second bedroom will be the nursery!<br />4) I'm going to use the money to buy Steve and I an iPad2!!<br /><br />So you see, it's not a crazy decision. &nbsp;It's very well thought out and made for the right reasons. &nbsp;I do love my gorgeous iMac, but I'd rather have an iPad2 and a nursery for the baby.<br /><br />I'd better do this quickly though. &nbsp;Sounds like the iPad2 stocks are going to be a bit low in the near future.http://www.jessismore.com/2011/03/pondering-and-planning.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jess)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384485139216780514.post-7561635723677499530Mon, 21 Mar 2011 14:26:00 +00002011-03-21T14:26:31.289+00:00Goings On...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UmHS2DsvYO8/TYdfv7c8rYI/AAAAAAAAALM/bpoNg7oAF4Y/s1600/photo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UmHS2DsvYO8/TYdfv7c8rYI/AAAAAAAAALM/bpoNg7oAF4Y/s320/photo1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Lately, I've been going nuts with craft/homemade ideas for the house. &nbsp;I made a throw pillow case by patching together matching fabrics at jaunty angles. &nbsp;(You can sort of see it in the photo. &nbsp;It was a bit dark and I took it with my iPhone.) I made a bunch of paper flowers out of Laura Ashley card stock and put them into a cream teapot which we never use (the dog ate the flowers after a few days though). And I've come up with umpteen different things I want to do around the house from making a slipcover for our corner sofa to whitewashing our bedroom furniture to making storage baskets.<div><br /></div><div>I told you I've gone crazy. &nbsp;Is this what nesting feels like?</div><div><br /></div><div>Basically, when we moved into this house, I didn't care much about the decor. &nbsp;I mean I did a little bit but I didn't anticipate staying in the UK long enough to justify spending the money on anything. &nbsp;Now I'm a bit worried that I'm not going to want to part with it, but I figure if I have a baby coming, I'd like to have a real home ready for them rather than have the house look like we've just moved in.</div><div><div><div><br /></div><div>I've taken the week off work just because. &nbsp;I'm not completely separated from work because I'm still doing a little bit of it from home, but that's how I like it. &nbsp;I'd rather not be separated. &nbsp;Luckily this week, I'm able to do lots of research and start planning all my projects. &nbsp;I may even start a couple. &nbsp;I also plan to spend some time at local charity shops to see if I can find some cheap furniture to play with.</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>So here is a list of my planned projects, the ones I can think of at the moment:</div><div>-Whitewash bedroom furniture (not real whitewash; it'll be an emulsion/water mixture)</div><div>-Sand dining room table and chairs so I can whitewash them as well</div><div>-Make slip cover for couch (this is going to be a big one! &nbsp;I'm still not sure if I can handle it)</div><div>-Make curtains and bedding for nursery</div><div>-Make raised planter for flowers</div><div>-Cover bedroom wall hangings with new fabric matching new bedding</div><div>-Find a sideboard and a bookcase at charity shop to tidy up for living room and dining room.</div><div>-Cover cork board in jute fabric to hang in kitchen</div><div>-Make tacks with vintage buttons and glass pebbles</div><div>-Make fabric baskets for shelving and nursery storage</div><div><br /></div><div>I think there are more, smaller projects but I just can't think of them at the moment.</div><div><br /></div><div>In baby news, we have our 20 week scan on Thursday and I've decided I want to know the sex. &nbsp;Steve is happy because he's always wanted to know. &nbsp;So I'll post an update when we find out.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've also been feeling really really good lately. &nbsp;Some days I don't even feel pregnant, until I look down and see my bump or have to pee every 10 minutes. &nbsp;I'm only 19 weeks though so we'll see how I feel a month or two from now. &nbsp;I'd better get all my projects done before then or it'll never happen!</div>http://www.jessismore.com/2011/03/goings-on.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jess)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384485139216780514.post-1741263181030736734Sun, 06 Mar 2011 21:29:00 +00002011-03-06T21:29:22.021+00:00Inspiration...So I found a blog yesterday on which I spent hours looking through every single post. &nbsp;It was completely worth it.<br /><br /><a href="http://carolynshomework.blogspot.com/">Homework</a> has a massive amount of beautiful, creative, easy and inexpensive home projects. &nbsp;I have fallen in love with every single thing created on this blog. &nbsp;I've already purchased several fat quarters of new and vintage fabric, a pack of Laura Ashley vintage design cardstock, a giant pack of vintage buttons, jute fabric and a glue gun!<br /><br />That was all yesterday and today I'd planned to get moving on several projects which had been inspired by homework. &nbsp;Unfortunately, our start was a bit late today and by the time we got back home with soil and a seed propagator for some flowers and bulbs we planted in the garden, I only had time to make a dozen paper flowers, glue them to sticks and arrange them in a lovely cream Nigella Lawson teapot which Steve and I got for our wedding but have only used once. &nbsp;I've still got 4 more to make and glue onto another stick so no photos yet, but I'll hopefully finish it tomorrow.<br /><br />On Saturday I'm going to a discount home store in town to pick up some throw pillow forms so I can get started on making the pillows I've got in mind. &nbsp;I still have yet to buy a few other things which I have in mind. &nbsp;I think I'll wait until I finish the stuff I'm working on at the moment. &nbsp;As Steve pointed out, I tend to get very excited about something and drop it partway through with a bunch of unfinished projects. &nbsp;I'm just hoping I'm nesting so I don't give it all up!<br /><br />That said, I'm so excited about my projects. &nbsp;All of the decorating in the house is neutral and boring. &nbsp;I can wait to inject some color into everything!<br /><br />I highly recommend taking a look at this blog, especially if you love doing crafty stuff or just want some inspiration.http://www.jessismore.com/2011/03/inspiration.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jess)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384485139216780514.post-8361351803677973204Mon, 21 Feb 2011 07:08:00 +00002011-02-21T07:08:26.904+00:00Baby, come back...Sorry it's been so long since I've posted. &nbsp;I've just been completely knackered after work and not wanting to do a thing on the weekends. &nbsp;I feel like a bum. &nbsp;Except for the prenatal workout DVD I got (which is amazing), I just kind of hang out in the evenings.<br /><br />So just a quick one, I have "discovered" ebay. &nbsp;I've purchased a few things on there before, but they were always "buy it now." &nbsp;I never wanted to bid in the auctions. &nbsp;I think I was a bit nervous about it. &nbsp;Anyway, I needed maternity clothes and thought I'd look on ebay. &nbsp;I don't need brand new ones as long as they fit and are in good shape and they cost a fortune over here. &nbsp;!!!!!!! There are loads of really cute bundles of maternity clothes separated by size. &nbsp;I went crazy bidding and then realized that I don't want to win <i>everything</i>. &nbsp;Luckily, I ended up with 1 bundle and 1 pair of jeans, both for 99p (plus shipping of course).<br /><br />Such a steal. &nbsp;I can't wait to get my new clothes!!http://www.jessismore.com/2011/02/baby-come-back.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jess)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384485139216780514.post-4553540990065747922Fri, 04 Feb 2011 16:49:00 +00002011-02-04T16:49:24.983+00:00Meet Peanut...Hey all. &nbsp;I know it's been ages since I've posted (again) but I was too afraid to post in case my secret slipped out. &nbsp;Believe me, it's all I've been thinking about for the last 8 and a half weeks!<br /><br />Anyway, my secret? &nbsp;Oh you know, I'm just going to have a baby. &nbsp;Nothing big or anything...<br /><br />Steve and I went for the first scan today and were completely amazed at this little thing the size of a plum bouncing around in my belly! &nbsp;Especially when I can't even feel it. &nbsp;The whole thing is surreal.<br /><br />Here's what he looks like.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb252/jevandyke/IMG_8557.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb252/jevandyke/IMG_8557.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">He looks like he's sucking his thumb! &nbsp;=]</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I keep saying "he" because I just have that feeling. &nbsp;Plus I'm kind of hoping it is a boy. &nbsp;We have a stellar boy name picked out, which I won't be sharing until peanut is born and we know for sure.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Anyway, I just wanted to let the cat out of the bag. &nbsp;It's been incredibly difficult not saying a word before this!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>http://www.jessismore.com/2011/02/meet-peanut.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jess)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384485139216780514.post-7164107895607714297Sun, 05 Dec 2010 09:45:00 +00002010-12-05T09:45:32.250+00:00White Christmas...So a friend and I decided to get together and bake a bunch of goodies to put into Christmas baskets for gifts. &nbsp;Our first day of baking was yesterday and we made LOADS of yummy treats! &nbsp;Fudge, toffee, chocolate orange loaf cake, shortbread cookie dough, but my favorite thing that we made yesterday was white chocolate cake balls...<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u3G9aSbAbHs/TPteHpW2DBI/AAAAAAAAAKo/bdDbCC2Keig/s1600/cakeballs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u3G9aSbAbHs/TPteHpW2DBI/AAAAAAAAAKo/bdDbCC2Keig/s320/cakeballs.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>Look at how stunning these are!! &nbsp;My friend found silver edible glitter and we sprinkled it on top and they look so Christmassy! &nbsp;I am so excited to give away these baskets and see people's faces when they see these gorgeous little treats. &nbsp;We also taste-tested them, you know, to make sure they're not poisonous or anything...<br />oh.<br />my.<br />GOD!! &nbsp;They are yummy!! &nbsp;Of course you risk having glitter on your face or stuck in your teeth but it's a small risk considering how good these things are.<br /><br />The next time we get together we've got a whole other slew of things to make. &nbsp;Plus, we've got to put the baskets together! I'll be taking more pictures then and hopefully you'll be able to see them all put together.<br /><br />For now though, you can just stare at these lovely little goodies and drool.http://www.jessismore.com/2010/12/white-christmas.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jess)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384485139216780514.post-2596114856237050733Tue, 30 Nov 2010 07:12:00 +00002010-11-30T07:12:24.475+00:00I've read 24 of these books...<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Have you read more than 6 of these books? The BBC believes most people will have read only 6 of the 100 books listed here. Instructions: Copy this into your NOTES. Bold those books you've read in their entirety, italicize the ones you started but didn't finish or read an excerpt.&nbsp;</div><div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><ol style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 25px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 0px;"><li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen</span></b></li><li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The Lord of the Rings&nbsp;-&nbsp;JRR Tolkien&nbsp;</span></b></li><li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte</span></b></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Harry Potter series - JK Rowling</span></li><li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee</span></b></li><li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The Bible</span></b></li><li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte&nbsp;</span></b></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">1984&nbsp;- George Orwell</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Great Expectations - Charles Dickens</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Little Women - Louisa M Alcott</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Catch 22 - Joseph Heller</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Complete Works of Shakespeare&nbsp;</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier</span></li><li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien</span></b></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Birdsong - Sebastian Faulk</span></li><li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger</span></b></li><li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The Time Traveler’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger</span></b></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Middlemarch - George Eliot</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell</span></li><li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald</span></b></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams&nbsp;</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">David Copperfield - Charles Dickens</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Emma -Jane Austen</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Persuasion - Jane Austen</span></li><li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe - CS Lewis</span></b></li><li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini</span></b></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres</span></li><li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden</span></b></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Winnie the Pooh - A.A. Milne</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Animal Farm - George Orwell</span></li><li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown</span></b></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">100 Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood</span></li><li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Lord of the Flies - William Golding</span></b></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Atonement - Ian McEwan</span></li><li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Life of Pi - Yann Martel</span></b></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Dune - Frank Herbert</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons</span></li><li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen</span></b></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Brave New World - Aldous Huxley</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez</span></li><li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck</span></b></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The Secret History - Donna Tartt</span></li><li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold</span></b></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">On The Road - Jack Kerouac</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Moby Dick - Herman Melville</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Dracula - Bram Stoker&nbsp;</span></li><li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The Secret Garden&nbsp;- Frances Hodgson Burnett</span></b></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Ulysses - James Joyce</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The Inferno - Dante</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Germinal - Emile Zola</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Possession - AS Byatt</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell</span></li><li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The Color Purple - Alice Walke</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">r</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Charlotte’s Web - E.B. White</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Watership Down - Richard Adams</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas</span></li><li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Hamlet - William Shakespeare&nbsp;</span></b></li><li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl</span></b></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Les Miserables - Victor Hugo</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">&nbsp;Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson</span></b></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: normal;"><div style="font-size: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas</span></div><div style="font-size: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">How many have you read? You're supposed to post this to FB and tag people in it so they can do it too.</span></div></span></li></ol>http://www.jessismore.com/2010/11/ive-read-24-of-these-books.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jess)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384485139216780514.post-5427889019366098165Sun, 28 Nov 2010 14:22:00 +00002010-11-28T14:22:51.824+00:00The Holidays...So it's that time of year again. &nbsp;The Holiday Season. &nbsp;Beloved and dreaded by people around the world.<br /><br />I myself have a love/hate relationship with this time of year. &nbsp;I used to just love it, but then I moved to England.<br /><br />Part of me hates this time of year. &nbsp;I miss my friends and family back home with all my heart. &nbsp;This year I even have a new niece over there whom I won't get to see have her first Christmas (though I also have a new one here so I'll at least get to see hers!). &nbsp;I miss a proper Thanksgiving celebration. I hate how cold it is here. &nbsp;Every year it just gets worse! &nbsp;It's already snowed and it isn't even December yet! &nbsp;I miss going to the beach on New Years. &nbsp;I miss longer hours of daylight. &nbsp;I even miss Black Friday shopping!<br /><br />I still love this time of year because of the warm, fuzzy feeling it gives you. &nbsp;I love shopping for the perfect gift for people and holiday baking. &nbsp;I love that I've been able to introduce Thanksgiving traditions to lots of people (like pumpkin pie!). &nbsp;I like the cold sometimes because it actually feels like Winter and it makes curling up on the couch with Steve under a fuzzy blanket with a mug of hot chocolate all the more appealing. &nbsp;I love that I've been introduced to new holiday traditions and food like Christmas crackers and mince pies. &nbsp;I love Christmas with my in-laws.<br /><br />This year is a bit more stressful than usual because Steve and I are saving up for my visa which I've got to apply for before Feb 8th. &nbsp;It's HARD to save up when you have Christmas gifts to buy, especially when you have to save up £840. &nbsp;And that doesn't include the cost of taking the Life in the UK test, shipping the application, visa photos, etc. &nbsp;Blah.<br /><br />I'm trying to stay positive. &nbsp;Not letting the REALLY cold weather get to me. &nbsp;All that goodness. &nbsp;Friday night I celebrated Thanksgiving with a Dips, Dessert and Drinks night with a bunch of good friends. &nbsp;The food was fan-freaking-tastic too! &nbsp;I know it's not a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, but I did have a form of pumpkin pie, which I made from an actual pumpkin and not a can, thankyouverymuch! &nbsp;It did actually feel like a Thanksgiving gathering and it even snowed!<br /><br />Anyway, I hope all of you back home had a great Thanksgiving! &nbsp;Next stop: Christmas!!http://www.jessismore.com/2010/11/holidays.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jess)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384485139216780514.post-4844865607150012923Mon, 01 Nov 2010 08:47:00 +00002010-11-01T08:47:47.844+00:00A revelation about myself...So for anyone who happens to stumble across this blog that doesn't know me very well or at all, I'll fill you in on one thing: I'm quite a passionate person. &nbsp;Not like outwardly passionate about everything where the people in my life are irritated with me or think I'm a freak or anything. <br /><br />It's just that, when I get excited about something, I'm EXCITED about it. &nbsp;I'm so excited that my life is consumed by this one thing and I have to invest every bit of me that I can into it so that I'm eating, sleeping, breathing, living whatever it is that I'm so EXCITED about.<br /><br />This is my brand of passion.<br /><br />The only problem with this kind of passion is that it's a bright fire that burns hot but not for a very long time. &nbsp;Since I quit dancing in my early teens, I've picked up countless hobbies, each time becoming ridiculously EXCITED about it and making sure that I have all the tools available for a lifetime of this hobby and then after a while, it all fizzles out and I move onto the next one. <br /><br />Sure, some hobbies have lasted longer than others. &nbsp;When I was younger, before I was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder and a bit out of control, I wrote a lot. &nbsp;Poetry, short stories. &nbsp;They were pretty good too. &nbsp;I was even published somewhere; I can't remember where. &nbsp;But even know I'm struggling to motivate myself to finish the screenplay which I've been working on for months.<br /><br />I've also managed to keep up my knitting and crocheting, both of which I taught myself 9 years ago (!!), but I dare you to count the unfinished knitting/crochet projects lying around in boxes in my garage or tucked away in closets in my house.<br /><br />My hobbies aren't the only things that fall to this fate. &nbsp;I come up with some really great ideas as well which I get so pumped up about and then lose the motivation and the passion which I originally have for them, for no reason. &nbsp;A few months ago, my mom encouraged me to start an internet business and I came up with a really great idea for one which involved Steve and a developer which he does a lot of work with and myself and we were all so excited about it and planned it all out and even developed the website like 3 days after I told them the idea, but it never got put up, because I lost passion so the guys did too. &nbsp;It was my idea and I should have kept their motivation up.<br /><br />Friday night, I came up with a new idea. &nbsp;I won't say what it is, however I will say that I am trying a new approach with this. &nbsp;What if I don't get overly passionate about it? &nbsp;What if I don't go all out nuts and stay calm and methodical and rational and go slow? &nbsp;Maybe I won't lose it? &nbsp;This particular idea isn't a business idea. &nbsp;It's not something which will make me a lot of money. &nbsp;I want to help other people and I am REALLY hoping that I don't fizzle out on this one because it could be amazing =]http://www.jessismore.com/2010/11/revelation-about-myself.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jess)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384485139216780514.post-7432742354671994083Wed, 13 Oct 2010 06:14:00 +00002010-10-13T07:14:59.165+01:00Well played, Gap...So after less than a week, Gap has changed their logo back to the original, tried-and-true, blue background white-lettered one. &nbsp;They claim it was customer backlash which caused them to revert, but working next to the PR team of a global company has taught me more than a few things.<br /><br />What better way to bring the focus back to your company when your sales are down than to create a bunch of hoopla by changing your lovely, timeless logo to a cruddy 25 cent one, inciting feelings of anger and betrayal among your clientele, only to change it back once they've voiced their feelings of dissent, thus replacing those negative feelings which your customers are holding with ones of devotion and gratitude for your eager attentiveness to their wants and needs?<br /><br />It's brilliant!<br /><br />The Wall Street Journal said Gap is denying that this is a publicity stunt. &nbsp;Of course they are! &nbsp;What company comes clean on this type of PR stunt? &nbsp;What are they going to say? "Well, sales were down and we really wanted people to remember us again. &nbsp;We wanted our customers to feel good about our brand so we made them feel bad so we could make them feel good."<br /><br />No. &nbsp;That doesn't happen.<br /><br />Anyway, Gap, I tip my hat to you. &nbsp;Well played, sir.http://www.jessismore.com/2010/10/well-played-gap.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jess)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384485139216780514.post-2267377121237837025Sun, 10 Oct 2010 09:34:00 +00002010-10-10T10:34:05.922+01:00What are they thinking?!Oh my gosh you guys. &nbsp;This is the second post in 2 days. &nbsp;I'm going nuts on the blogging. &nbsp;I promise it won't happen again.<br /><br />I just had to share <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkd5dJIVjgM">this</a>. &nbsp;Well that's not the real reason why I'm here but it's funny regardless. &nbsp;I've been a fan of the Old Spice Guy from the start and was laughing like crazy when I saw that video.<br /><br />No, the real reason why I'm here is because Gap have changed their logo!! &nbsp;Why? &nbsp;For no reason at all. &nbsp;Well, supposedly their sales were falling, but what is a new logo going to change? &nbsp;If anyone has shopped at Gap 10 years ago compared to now, they'll see that their clothes have changed quite a bit. &nbsp;I can rarely find anything that I like there anymore. &nbsp;The only reason I go there now is because I can't find jeans I like in the UK. &nbsp;I almost never find anything else there that I deem fashionable. &nbsp;It's all boring. Blah. Not worthy of my wardrobe.<br /><br />Anyway, the big hooplah. &nbsp;Here is the new logo:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://l.yimg.com/a/p/fi/qa/32/98/76.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://l.yimg.com/a/p/fi/qa/32/98/76.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Can you see why this is a big deal? &nbsp;It's awful! It's been torn apart by everyone. &nbsp;Called MS clipart, cheap, generic. &nbsp;Personally, I agree with a commenter on one of the articles I read who said that it looks like they made it in Easy Logo Creator. &nbsp;It looks like it belongs on a cheap business card. &nbsp;It's ridiculous.<br /><br />I visited the <a href="http://www.gap.com/">Gap</a> website and it just doesn't have the same feel with the new logo. &nbsp;It doesn't fit with the rest of the other logos. &nbsp;Oddly enough, they haven't expanded the change to the UK website, but I imagine it's coming soon.<br /><br />Here's a comparison of the old and the new logos. &nbsp;What do you think of the new logo?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.waleg.com/style/images/gap-new-old.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.waleg.com/style/images/gap-new-old.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>http://www.jessismore.com/2010/10/what-are-they-thinking.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jess)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384485139216780514.post-300351119976515803Sat, 09 Oct 2010 07:49:00 +00002010-10-09T08:49:52.393+01:00Chocolate Truffles and Dogs...So this morning I was going to make chocolate truffles. &nbsp;A friend and I are going to get together and bake a bunch of goodies for Christmas gift baskets and I found a recipe for chocolate truffles and I wanted to try it out and see if they're any good. &nbsp;It's more of an excuse to have truffles really, though if they're good, I'll freeze most of them and use them for the baskets. &nbsp;High quality dark chocolate isn't cheap you know.<br /><br />Anyway, I got all my ingredients out and couldn't find the butter. &nbsp;The supermarket we order our groceries from hadn't delivered it. &nbsp;It was right there on the receipt! Unsalted butter! &nbsp;But it wasn't in my fridge. &nbsp;Dangit. &nbsp;At least they didn't charge me for the stainless steel mixing bowl I ordered from them in the same order. &nbsp;We don't have a car so we have to do our big grocery shops by delivery. &nbsp;It's annoying, but what are you gonna do?<br /><br />So rather than make truffles &nbsp;this morning (I'll do it later after I walk to the super market. &nbsp;I also need to pick up coffee because I accidentally ordered beans rather than ground coffee.), I'm going to write a little bit about my dog. &nbsp;Well, not necessarily my dog, but dogs in general.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u3G9aSbAbHs/TLAeYWEU1XI/AAAAAAAAAKg/hl2sLI2B-nI/s1600/IMG_0160.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u3G9aSbAbHs/TLAeYWEU1XI/AAAAAAAAAKg/hl2sLI2B-nI/s320/IMG_0160.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Steve and I love our dog. &nbsp;Who couldn't love that face? &nbsp;She's amazing. &nbsp;Super smart, very loving (especially of shoes and expensive headphones), incredibly loyal and she loves us just as much as we love her, in fact maybe more.<br /><br />Almost a year ago BBC's Horizon (they do really great documentaries for all of you Stateside folk) did a documentary called <i>The Secret Life of the Dog</i>. &nbsp;I found it sooooo very interesting and really enjoyed watching it. &nbsp;I wish I could watch it again because I don't really remember all that much about it. &nbsp;What I do remember was something about people and dogs and oxytocin levels. &nbsp;So I decided to look it up.<br /><br />What I found was decidedly awesome. <br /><br />First let me define oxytocin for anyone who is unfamiliar or needs a refresher. &nbsp;It's a neurotransmitter in your brain, often known as the "love hormone" or the "cuddle hormone." &nbsp;It's most often associated with lactating mothers because it's released during breastfeeding to bond a mother to her baby. &nbsp;It also can play a role in pair-bonding and social recognition. &nbsp;Lastly, it's used to induce labor, though I'm not exactly sure what kind of role it plays here. &nbsp;I think something having to do with contractions.<br /><br />So, a lot of studies have been done between dogs and humans measuring their levels of oxytocin before, during and after play, petting and eye contact. &nbsp;The <a href="http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16412-pet-dogs-rival-humans-for-emotional-satisfaction.html">first one</a> I came across, just measured the human's oxytocin levels, and found that they rose by more than 20% on average when playing with their own dog. &nbsp;So playing/making eye contact with our dogs bonds us to them even more. &nbsp;These researchers believe that this bond formed/made stronger through eye contact may contribute to the domestication of dogs.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.hugthemonkey.com/2006/11/my_dog_really_l.html">next study</a> I came across measured the oxytocin level in both dogs and humans as well as the cortisol levels. &nbsp;Cortisol is a hormone which is released when we're stressed out. &nbsp;Not only do oxytocin levels rise in humans when we pet our dogs but they also rise in our dogs as well. &nbsp;And our cortisol levels drop. &nbsp;So now our dogs are bonding to us just because we're petting them. &nbsp;Not psychologically but physiologically. &nbsp;AND we're getting less stressed out.<br /><br />I came across <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/made-each-other/201005/dog-good">another article</a> which is a good general summary of a lot of the big studies done between dogs and humans on oxytocin levels. &nbsp;It's a good read.<br /><br />All of this is very interesting, but what does it mean? &nbsp;Well, it provides an explanation for those of us who are ridiculously attached to our dogs. &nbsp;Or those people who call their dogs their "babies." &nbsp;It also tells us why dogs make such great therapy animals. &nbsp;Lastly, it gives us a glimpse as to how dogs may have first become domesticated. &nbsp;And it's all just kind of neat.http://www.jessismore.com/2010/10/chocolate-truffles-and-dogs.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jess)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384485139216780514.post-9160318322460875955Sun, 22 Aug 2010 17:04:00 +00002010-08-22T18:04:31.455+01:00An announcement...I know I said I was going to update everyone on my parents' visit, but I haven't had any photos to show anyone because my mother hasn't sent me any. &nbsp;Sorry about all that. &nbsp;But I do have other news...<br /><br />Yesterday afternoon my sister gave birth to a little girl. &nbsp;Some of you know, there's a bit of drama associated with my sister, her pregnancy, the baby's father, my relationship with my sister, etc, but for now I'm forgetting about all of that because it's always exciting when there's a new addition to the family.<br /><br />I haven't gotten to see a photo of her yet because she's still in the nursery. &nbsp;There was some trouble during the labor and she came out blue with some respiration problems, but last I heard, she's much rosier though still has a massive cone-head. Apparently she has a full head of thick blond hair which is a bit unique and she's got blue eyes which will stay since both parents have them.<br /><br />Her name is Wintersong Jane (maybe Winter Song). &nbsp;Not my sister's choice, and it's left everyone scratching their heads a bit since she wasn't born (or conceived, ew) in Winter, but her father seems to think that he's mostly Native American (he's not) and has always wanted a daughter with that name. &nbsp;Whatever, I'm going to call her Winnie and I think that's really cute.<br /><br />Throughout the whole labor (except for the first 10 hours when I didn't even know it was happening. &nbsp;Oh, and I found out from Facebook.) I had the phone, text and email to keep in touch with my parents and sister about what was going on. &nbsp;It made me think about how amazing and useful technology is. &nbsp;If this were 50-60 years ago, I wouldn't have known until I got a letter in the post about it, much less get updates every hour or so or even more frequently once the baby started coming. <br /><br />Steve and I watched the movie Book of Eli last night and we really enjoyed it. &nbsp;If you haven't seen it, it takes place is a post-apocalyptic era where far fewer people live on Earth, with no infrastructure, no government and no ozone layer to protect Earth's inhabitants and allow plant life to grow. &nbsp;One of the lines in the movie when the main character is comparing the "old world" to the current one was "People kill each other now for things we used to throw away." &nbsp;Of course we can't throw away technology per say, but we definitely take it for granted, along with pretty much everything else we have.http://www.jessismore.com/2010/08/announcement.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jess)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384485139216780514.post-7117206754335174231Sat, 14 Aug 2010 22:52:00 +00002010-08-14T23:52:49.673+01:00I'm baaack...So my parents have been gone for 5 days now and I miss them more now than I did before I saw them. &nbsp;How silly is that?!<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u3G9aSbAbHs/TGccj50QxYI/AAAAAAAAAKI/0H_R9020xss/s1600/IMG_0001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u3G9aSbAbHs/TGccj50QxYI/AAAAAAAAAKI/0H_R9020xss/s320/IMG_0001.JPG" /></a>Their visit was absolutely wonderful and we all had such an amazing time wandering around Somerset and then London. &nbsp;My parents enjoyed this visit so much more than the last one, particularly because they actually had the time to enjoy it. &nbsp;(For those of you who don't know, my parents have been here once before, for my and Steve's wedding, but they were only in the country for like 36 hours. &nbsp;I think their travel time was probably about the same amount of time.)<br /><br />I'll be posting blogs about our little day trips and our visit to London over the next week or so. &nbsp;Unfortunately I don't have many photos so I'm going to have to get some from my mom. &nbsp;I brought my camera with me everywhere thinking I'd use it, but I completely forgot about it. &nbsp;Probably because I'd been to nearly all of the places we went to. &nbsp;I'd finally remember it, take a couple of random pictures and forget about it again for a couple of days. &nbsp;So I think I have 34 pictures total and 14 of them are experiments with the macro setting on my camera on flowers around Dunster Castle, 7 of them are self-portraits of Steve and I,&nbsp;5 of them are the same shot of the inside of Mart St. Redcliffe church when I was trying to get the exposure right&nbsp;and 3 of them are of Ripley. &nbsp;That leaves 5 of actual "stuff."<br /><br />I'll give a quick synopsis of our first few days here though and leave you with a couple of the photos which are on my camera from those days...<br /><br />So the first day (Wednesday) I got off work early and my parents were already at my house with lots and lots of goodies from back home which they'd brought for us. &nbsp;For dinner we walked down to the local chip shop and showed them what <b>real </b>fish and chips are like. &nbsp;Of course they loved them. &nbsp;If you don't live over here, you'd better come visit and see what I'm talking about, because this stuff is excellent.<br /><br />Thursday Steve and I showed them around beautiful Weston super Mare (HA!) and we introduced my parents to Thorntons. &nbsp;They also got to meet Jen and Adam, two of our very good friends, (<a href="http://www.mclevey.com/">Adam</a> in an incredibly talented artist who has produced every piece of art in our house except one and painted the photo of me on my profile) who were in town and we had coffee at a very cute new place which I didn't even know about.<br /><br />Friday, we went to Bristol Airport (exciting right??). &nbsp;The only reason we went there was to go to the car rental place and get my name on the car so that I could drive because let me tell you, being in the car when my dad was driving was TERRIFYING! &nbsp;My dad is an excellent driver... in the US. &nbsp;But here? &nbsp;Well, there's a lot to think about when you're not used to it.<br /><br />So Saturday we had a BBQ. &nbsp;Steve's immediate family was there. Jen and Adam were there and a few other good friends came. &nbsp;Our niece is finally getting along with Ripley and when I say "getting along" I mean "attached at the hip." &nbsp;Maya was petrified of Ripley for the first 6 months we owned her. &nbsp;Now they're inseparable. &nbsp;It's really very sweet to watch them, and Rips is soooo patient with Maya. &nbsp;She's very very good with her considering she's a 10 month old puppy.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u3G9aSbAbHs/TGcc5fsY8NI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/8AcMzpg4VF0/s1600/IMG_0002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u3G9aSbAbHs/TGcc5fsY8NI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/8AcMzpg4VF0/s320/IMG_0002.JPG" /></a>Sunday we met up with Steve's folks for a drive and wander around the Quantock Hills. &nbsp;If you've never heard of them, The Quantocks are known for their beautiful, patchwork colors and stunning views. &nbsp;They're actually officially designated an "Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty" which means something important or something. &nbsp;Anyway, it's this walk which I actually remembered that I had a camera. &nbsp;But did I take pictures of the beautiful landscape?? &nbsp;Of course not!! &nbsp;My parents would take enough for everyone. &nbsp;So I took a self-portrait of Steve and I and a picture of Ripley, because that's what I care about =]<br /><br />More to come later. &nbsp;Sorry this one was so long. &nbsp;From now on I'll do one day at a time instead of a bunch a once so they'll be shorter.http://www.jessismore.com/2010/08/im-baaack.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jess)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384485139216780514.post-8552139037215097844Thu, 22 Jul 2010 19:15:00 +00002010-07-22T20:15:38.792+01:00So close...Today is Thursday. &nbsp;In 5 days, 20 hours, 31 minutes and 52 seconds (47 seconds, 42 seconds, 37, 35, 32, 31, 27 seconds. &nbsp;Well, you get the drift) my parents will be arriving at my house. &nbsp;Yes people, my parents from Sunny California will be arriving at my place in Dreary England. &nbsp;I get to see my folks for 11 whole days! &nbsp;I'll get to show them around the area I live in and take them to London for a few days too! &nbsp;I am sooooooooo excited. <br /><br />Just slightly less wonderful than seeing my parents again for the first time since December, is the fact that I've got 8 days off work for the duration of their stay. &nbsp;Finally, I am actually taking time off and I have never EVER needed it more than I do now.<br /><br />Anyway, back to my parents' visit. &nbsp;I've got a bunch of stuff planned, though I'm still in need of a bit of help. &nbsp;I'll detail a bit below. &nbsp;Here's what I've got:<br /><br /><a href="http://fineartamerica.com/images-medium/1-bath-city-spa-viewed-over-the-river-avon-at-night-mal-bray.jpg">Bath</a>: I want to take my parents to Bath because it's, well, it's stunning. &nbsp;The only thing is that there's loads of shopping there and we're not going to want to shop really. &nbsp;We want to see the touristy stuff. &nbsp;If anyone reading this knows any neat stuff to see in or around Bath, please let me know. &nbsp;I know the city centre is really beautiful and you can pop into the Roman Baths for a peek, but that won't take a whole day and I need to fill it all up.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.yourlocalweb.co.uk/images/pictures/00/72/dunster-castle-dunster-7109.jpg">Dunster Castle</a> and <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/content/images/2007/08/07/lynmouth_from_valley_465x349.jpg">Lynmouth</a>: I've got this one covered. &nbsp;I love Dunster Village and the castle grounds. &nbsp;There's a great little tea house by the old mill (which is still working!) with a cottage garden where you can have cream teas and a babbling brook runs right by it. &nbsp;And Lynmouth is a short drive down the coast and a beautiful little seaside village practically cut into the cliffs. &nbsp;Then we'll be driving back through the Moors which have some really nice views and an occasional sheep running across the road.<br /><br /><a href="http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/47/d7/83/cheddar-village.jpg">Cheddar</a> and <a href="http://s0.geograph.org.uk/photos/10/37/103738_7278ca03.jpg">Wells</a>: Another easy one. &nbsp;<a href="http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/T/timeteam/images/cheddar3b.jpg">Cheddar Gorge</a> and the Cheese Factory for some fan-freaking-tastic cheese. Quaint little shops and pretty views in Cheddar. &nbsp;Drive up to Wells through the Gorge and see the <a href="http://www.simplygroups.co.uk/images/Wells%20Cathedral.jpg">Cathedral</a> there and see some more quaint shops and some really old, historical buildings.<br /><br />Stonehenge: I'm not sure when we're popping this one in, but we've got a couple of extra days so we'll definitely have time to drive down there. &nbsp;If anyone knows any cool places to stop between Weston super Mare and Stonehenge that are not Cheddar, Wells or Bath (since we're already stopping there) let me know.<br /><br /><a href="http://curtisandrachel.co.uk/media/images/mainImage-bristol.jpg">Bristol</a>: Next weekend is the <a href="http://visitbristol.co.uk/imageresizer/?image=%2Fdmsimgs%2FBristol+Harbour+Festival%2Ejpg&amp;action=ProductMain">Harbour Festival</a> so I think we'll be going to that. &nbsp;I also want to go up on the <a href="http://visitbristol.co.uk/imageresizer/?image=%2Fdbimgs%2FDots%2Egif&amp;action=ImageViewer">Clifton Suspension Bridge</a> and take them for a drink at one of the restaurants up in Clifton that have a view of the whole city. &nbsp;We might do 2 days in Bristol since the Harbour Festival is on the same day as the BBQ.<br /><br />One of the days we're having a big family BBQ in the afternoon at Steve's parents' house. &nbsp;Maybe we'll go to Stonehenge that morning. &nbsp;We're also spending a day (a Sunday since nothing is open) wandering around some trails on the Quantock Hills since they're so pretty and I know my parents will appreciate a relaxing day before a week and a half of chaos.<br /><br />Friday Aug 6 - Monday Aug 9 we'll be in London and there's too much to do there so we're all set with that (though if you know of anything cool going on there that weekend, please let me know!).<br /><br />Anyway, if you've got any suggestions or know of anything going on in the area between July 28 - Aug 5, please let me know. &nbsp;I'm always open to new suggestions!http://www.jessismore.com/2010/07/so-close.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jess)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384485139216780514.post-9077478891205075371Mon, 21 Jun 2010 20:12:00 +00002010-06-21T21:33:57.141+01:00Mirrors...So it's June now (I know, I know. &nbsp;It's been too long) and the weather has <b>finally </b>turned warm. &nbsp;It's been lovely!! &nbsp;I just hope it stays like this for the whole time that my parents are here. *touch wood*<br /><br />Though I am absolutely loving the Summer, some events have occurred in the last several weeks which have made me reflect on the last year. &nbsp;A lot of you know that a year ago I was working at my previous employer without being paid, being told that 'any day now' I'd get the money, as well as the rest of my colleagues. &nbsp;Well, it turns out we were all lied to. &nbsp;A year later, we've all given up hope of ever seeing our two month's wages, plus the damages awarded by the Employment courts. &nbsp;We know a lot more about those who employed us, things we didn't want to know, things we wished we'd have known a year ago. &nbsp;As they say, hindsight is 20/20.<br /><br />That was the beginning. &nbsp;I think I can safely say that the last year has been the worst year of my life. &nbsp;Just when I think things can't get worse, they do. &nbsp;Event after event has attacked me since last Summer and it's been one horrible ride. &nbsp;I won't get into the gory details on here. &nbsp;Those that are close to me know them. &nbsp;If you don't know everything, sorry. &nbsp;You'll just have to suffer.<br /><br />If I believed in Karma, I'd be playing the lottery every week right now because I'm due for a win. &nbsp;Trust me.<br /><br />I'm not posting this to whine and cry and complain so that everyone pities me though. &nbsp;Don't pity me - Seriously, stop it - Believe me, I have had some great times in the last year. &nbsp;I've made some great friends; people I'm sure I'll be in contact with long after I move back to California (whenever that is). &nbsp;My relationship with Steve is stronger than it could have ever been had this year never have happened, and I'm still falling more in love with him every day. &nbsp;Basically, I'm happy, regardless of everything that has happened.<br /><br />And why is that?<br /><br />Because despite the horrible people out there who don't pay when they say they will and the heartbreaking things that happen which are out of my control, the one thing I can control is myself. &nbsp;And that self is going to be fine no matter what dammit!http://www.jessismore.com/2010/06/mirrors.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jess)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384485139216780514.post-1859740747641123974Sat, 08 May 2010 16:29:00 +00002010-05-08T17:29:57.063+01:00Some People Disgust Me...So I came across <a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/oregon-city/index.ssf/2010/05/boyfriend_accused_of_burning_scalding_and_stuffing_boy_3_into_freezer.html">this article</a> just now. &nbsp;You can read it now or later or never, but basically, it details a woman with a 3 year old boy who met a guy online and let him move in with her 2 months later. &nbsp;The two months following BF moving in, he proceeded to abuse the boy by dunking him under water, shoving him in the freezer, burning him on the heater, with scalding water, smothering him with pillows and even more. &nbsp;When the woman was asked why she allowed the abuse to continue she responded, "I guess I was in love with him. I didn't want to lose him." "Him" being the boyfriend. &nbsp;Disgusting.<br /><br />Reading her quote made me think of someone I know. &nbsp;A pregnant woman, in a terrible relationship with not a great person at all, a guy who's proved that he doesn't value life and who is an alcoholic with absolutely no experience with babies and small children. &nbsp;Despite the fact that she knows this is a bad relationship and he doesn't treat her all that well either, she does everything she can to stay with him, including being nearly estranged from the nearly all of her friends and family,&nbsp;<i>for the exact reason that the woman above allowed her boyfriend to abuse her son.</i><br /><br />What is going to happen if this other guy gets fed up with his infant baby screaming at night? &nbsp;Or if the baby throws up on him or does something else to make him angry? &nbsp;What if he's drunk? &nbsp;What if he goes to far? &nbsp;Will this woman let is happen because she "doesn't want to lose him"? &nbsp;Scary stuff.http://www.jessismore.com/2010/05/some-people-disgust-me.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jess)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384485139216780514.post-6798914980202159584Sun, 02 May 2010 16:04:00 +00002010-05-02T17:04:04.264+01:00What did you do with your Sunday morning?I spent mine making a new dog bed for Ripley. &nbsp;Oh yeah. &nbsp;Rock out.<br /><br />When I was visiting California over Christmas, the woman who rents a room from my parents was making <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/decorative-office-accessories/how-to-make-a-nosew-throw-050852">no-sew baby blankets</a> for some of her friends for gifts. &nbsp;Though I'm more a fan of the nice clean lines of a sewn baby blanket, I do understand why these are good for babies and toddlers as a lot of them like to play with tags and this thing basically has tag-like thingies hanging all around it. &nbsp;It's also a really good, inexpensive gift to make for people who are having a baby, particularly if you don't know how to sew or don't own a sewing machine as all you need are two equal-sized pieces of fleece and a pair of scissors.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u3G9aSbAbHs/S92hQ2ppEEI/AAAAAAAAAJY/WbP5uZHru_M/s1600/14643_695919125395_6401658_40331301_4964179_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u3G9aSbAbHs/S92hQ2ppEEI/AAAAAAAAAJY/WbP5uZHru_M/s320/14643_695919125395_6401658_40331301_4964179_n.jpg" /></a></div>Anyway, back to the dog bed. &nbsp;When we first got Ripley, we bought her a dog bed. &nbsp;That's her sleeping in it the first day we got her. &nbsp;Isn't she so adorably cute and tiny?! Look at her tiny little nose and feet! &nbsp;Ok, back to the bed again. &nbsp;She didn't really see it as a bed, instead it was more like an oversized chew toy for her own personal entertainment. &nbsp;She was also very particular about the placement of this "chew toy." The base of the bed had to be exactly halfway up the stairs and the pillow could only be in either the kitchen or the office, next to a doorway. &nbsp;Steve called it "Ripley's feng shui'ing." &nbsp;Needless to say, that bed does not exist anymore. &nbsp;Well, it does, but but not as a bed. &nbsp;More like lots of tiny pieces of red fleece and hollow-fiber filling. &nbsp;And even if it did still exist, she's a bit too big for it now anyway.<br /><br />Maybe she was trying to tell us something.<br /><br />So one day I was browsing sewing patterns on the web and amusing myself at the silly costumes that people make for their pets (particularly pugs) and I came across a no-sew dog bed which used to same concept as the baby blanket I mentioned above. &nbsp;The site I was on wanted something ridiculous like £9 for the pattern, which is stupid because you could look at the picture and figure out what they did so I decided to make it.<br /><br />I had some extra fleece from a double-sided picnic blanket which I bought from Dunelm for the sole purpose of cutting up for little blankets for Chaz, but obviously a hedgehog doesn't need a massive amount of fabric so I got a couple of good-sized pieces for Ripley's bed, one bigger than the other, and a double-sized duvet folded up so it fits the dimensions of the fabric. &nbsp;I then had to cut bajillions of fringes on each side of the fleece. &nbsp;Let me tell you, if you don't have sharp scissors, this is THE MOST ANNOYING THING EVER!!! &nbsp;Then you just tie a bunch of knots, throw the dog bed on the floor and let doggie enjoy. &nbsp;Here is Ripley enjoying her new doggie bed. &nbsp;Hopefully, this one won't be torn to bits like the last one.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u3G9aSbAbHs/S92eKzmm-fI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/wA2sKW2Gf4E/s1600/IMG_0305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u3G9aSbAbHs/S92eKzmm-fI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/wA2sKW2Gf4E/s320/IMG_0305.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>http://www.jessismore.com/2010/05/what-did-you-do-with-your-sunday.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jess)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384485139216780514.post-8960445007823810145Sun, 25 Apr 2010 18:24:00 +00002010-04-25T19:46:55.669+01:00I *heart* Butternut Squash...So last week I went on a massive butternut squash kick. I have no idea why. I think it's because I suddenly remembered that I once had these amazing butternut squash enchiladas and I wanted to make some and then while looking for recipes I came across another really fantastic recipe with butternut squash so I made that too and during the entire process, I rediscovered how much I absolutely love it and how incredibly versatile it is and how many different things you can use it for. I also discovered that my dog goes nuts for it! She really, really likes it! Which is a little strange. <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Ok</span>, a lot strange.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u3G9aSbAbHs/S9SCs6Ar5ZI/AAAAAAAAAJA/WTvcm41B6go/s1600/IMG_0201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u3G9aSbAbHs/S9SCs6Ar5ZI/AAAAAAAAAJA/WTvcm41B6go/s320/IMG_0201.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>So the first thing I made was a butternut squash, spinach and feta quiche, adapted from <a href="http://letherbakecake.blogspot.com/2009/11/pumpkin-spinach-and-goats-cheese-tart.html">this recipe.</a> Let me tell you, it was <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">sooooo</span> good! And it looked stunning. I know it's kind of weird, but I think food tastes better when it looks good. Seriously, would <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">tiramisu</span> or a nice fat burger taste as yummy if it came in the form of sludge, like oatmeal? [An aside on oatmeal: I think it smells amazing, but I just cannot eat it, because it looks so gross!!]<br /><br />Anyway, this was super tasty and I got to eat it again for lunch at work the next day because I had way extra so I was happy =]<br /><br />Seeing as how the original reason for the butternut squash was to make enchiladas, Steve and I invited our good friends over to have them last Sunday. &nbsp;One is a vegetarian and the other is from California so they both appreciated the vegetarian, Mexican food. &nbsp;Plus, it was sunny and hot and we had beer so we got to spend all day in the sun. &nbsp;It was lovely.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u3G9aSbAbHs/S9SFp6DhZhI/AAAAAAAAAJI/yGta9Y0TjMU/s1600/IMG_0211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u3G9aSbAbHs/S9SFp6DhZhI/AAAAAAAAAJI/yGta9Y0TjMU/s320/IMG_0211.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Ok</span>, back to the food. &nbsp;The enchiladas were fantastic. &nbsp;Better than I could imagine. &nbsp;Next time I make them though, I'll use more squash and stuff the tortillas more. &nbsp;I used a combo of a few different recipes. &nbsp;I probably should have written down what I put in them because I can't really remember, except that it included cream cheese and fried onions and garlic. &nbsp;Crap. &nbsp;I really should have written it down because I'd like to make these again. &nbsp;The only problem is that the only enchilada sauce I could find here looked like ketchup. &nbsp;It tasted <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">ok</span> though. &nbsp;Not as good as the stuff back home, but I didn't really have a choice. &nbsp;Here you can see Steve's sock money enjoying his own plate of enchiladas, and yes, he has a penis.<br /><br />One thing I've really been missing here is canned pumpkin. &nbsp;For those of you who aren't familiar with it, canned pumpkin is used to make pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread and lots of other yummy treats. &nbsp;I know it seems a bit strange, but these are super tasty. &nbsp;They're sweet, not savory. &nbsp;Anyway, it's near impossible to find canned pumpkin here without having to order it online from one of those overpriced American food shops which charge ludicrous prices for food and shipping. &nbsp;I've heard rumors of cans of pumpkin lurking at <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Waitrose</span>, but I've yet to see them. &nbsp;Anyway, butternut squash tastes very similar to pumpkin and is much easier to come by so I'm toying with the idea of trying to make pumpkin bread but with butternut squash. &nbsp;We'll see. &nbsp;I'll let you know. &nbsp;I might be lazy and just give up though.http://www.jessismore.com/2010/04/i-heart-butternut-squash.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jess)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384485139216780514.post-6845491753778236457Sat, 03 Apr 2010 09:36:00 +00002010-04-03T10:36:22.076+01:00Baking...For those of you who don't know me, I have an unusually varied list of interests. For example, I really like sports cars and motorcycles. My car back in California was a 2007 Subaru WRX named Wroxanne. Get it? Roxanne, with a W? Because it's a WRX... oh nevermind. I also really love power tools and building things and my dream job is to flip houses (buy up old houses, remodel them and sell them off), much to the chagrin of my web designer husband who doesn't like to work with his hands at all. On the other hand, I can be really girly. I knit and crochet and sew. I also really, really enjoy science. My degree is in biochemistry and I absolutely love pharmacology and quantum physics, but I'm also very creative and really enjoy painting and drawing. I've always wanted to do other artsy things like make jewelry and design clothing. <br /><br />I'm not a very "homey" person. I don't enjoy cleaning. I know few people do, but I don't even get those random moods where I just have to clean. That's not to say that I won't do it, and no, my house is not all gross and messy or anything. I have a husband who takes care of all that. Well, I help him sometimes.<br /><br />And don't try to make me feel bad. I'm away from the house for 11 hours a day ok?<br /><br />Back to my point. One place in the house where I shine is in the kitchen.<br /><br /> *pause for women in the kitchen jokes*<br /><br />Ok, I absolutely love, love, LOVE to bake and cook and bake. My ideal house would have the kitchen right next to the bedroom so I could wake up and immediately start baking.<br /><br />Kidding.<br /><br />One of my favorite things is to bake for my colleagues at work. Not only does it give me a chance to try out new recipes, but it means I can bake whatever I want and not have it lying around the house for me to eat. And it makes my coworkers love me. I have been a bit of a slacker lately though on account of being really stressed at work and just wanted to do absolutely nothing on the weekends and not really having the extra cash to buy ingredients.<br /><br />One of the struggles of baking for people at work is trying to find single-serving recipes. I've grown tired of just baking cookies. Cookies can be good, but I'm just tired of them. So I've decided, just a few minutes ago, yep, this morning, that I'm going to take it upon myself to find recipes which are not made for single servings and try to convert them. Fun huh? Maybe not for you, but for me? Yep. Party time.<br /><br />So I'm probably going to put some of my single-serving exploits up here. If I remember. Stay tuned.<br /><br />With this, I'll leave you with my absolute FAVORITE <a href="http://bunsinmyoven.com/">baking blog</a>. Not only is this woman an absolute crack up but her recipes and photos will make you drool. I've made like 6 or 7 of the recipes from her blog and they are scrumptious. I highly recommend the chocolate cobbler... and the magic peanut butter middles... and the chocolate chip scones... or pretty much everything.http://www.jessismore.com/2010/04/baking.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jess)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384485139216780514.post-5384567991715581814Sun, 28 Feb 2010 13:50:00 +00002010-02-28T15:15:21.258+00:00Lack of ConvenienceSo I've been in this country for a year and 8 months and since then I've been building up a list of conveniences which I miss about the US. Don't get me wrong, there are loads of things which we have in the UK which aren't back home which I think are great like cream teas, decent public transport, exceptional, long history, amazing architecture, fantastic culture which changes every 20 miles, great pubs all over the place filled with interesting people. But none of this (except for the public transport) really helps me out day-to-day.<br /><br />Let me begin my rant of missing conveniences with something small, actually everything small. Everything in the UK is small. The houses are small, bedrooms are small, food and toiletry packages and are small (so you have to buy twice as much of everything to last you just as long), the cars are small, which is good because the parking spaces are small. The shops are small. Everything is small. Which goes onto the fact that there's just no space. My house is a normal 2 bedroom, terraced house which is a very common residence for a couple of Steve's a my age to live in... in the UK. In the US, this house would be considered teeny tiny. The ceilings are lower, and rooms are smaller, the garden is smaller, the kitchen is half the size it should be and melds with the dining room. Our couch barely fits into our living room and it's a small couch. I feel claustrophobic sometimes.<br /><br />Another small part of the houses in the garage. On the way to work last week I only saw one house on the 30 minute drive which had a 2 car garage. Nearly everyone here has one-car garages and I've never even heard of anyone here having an automatic garage door opener. Nor have I heard of a door going directly from the house to the garage. If I want to get something from my one-car garage, I have to go out my front door, walk past the neighbors house, usually through the rain, and open up my garage manually with a key. This isn't uncommon for a lot of people here.<br /><br />Of course having a garage doesn't even really matter which brings me to the next convenience I miss: driving. I've been driving for 11 years. 11 years and I STILL have to start over from the beginning when it comes to getting my UK license. That means taking all 3 of the driving exams, 2 of which are actually a bit difficult, particularly the practical driving exam where they fail you for tiny little things like not turning your head enough to look at your mirrors. If I had come from mainland Europe, I'd just be able to switch my license out for a UK one with no problems, but noooooooo. It's annoying.<br /><br />Some other quick things I really miss: <br />-Dishwashers: they're becoming more and more common here, but with the size of my kitchen, where the heck am I going to put it?! Newer houses have them, but if your place wasn't built in the last couple of years then it's not built in and you have to buy your own which is portable??<br />-Central heating/AC: Central heating over here comes in the form of radiators in each room which have boiling water running through them and are usually connected to the hot water heater somehow. Usually this is a good thing because it uses gas rather than electric and uses the hot water from the boiler (I think?) but if you touch one you burn your hand off! And you can't put furniture in front of them because the furniture blocks the heat and it's a hazard. So basically because the rooms are so small and the radiator is so big and you can't put furniture in front of them, they basically take out an entire wall of usable space. Plus there's no AC, but I guess it's not like you really need it because it only gets hot for like a couple weeks in the summer here anyway.<br />- Dryers: The good thing about central heating is that it's useful because there's no space for a dryer, so you hang your wet clothes from the washer over the radiators or on a clothes horse to dry when it's raining outside. But I really miss having a dryer because the clothes came out hot and fluffy and wrinkle-free and wonderful. But there's just no place to put it and the garage is too far away and has no electricity.<br />-Mixer taps in the bathroom: one hot tap and one cold tap. The hot tap is scalding and the cold tap is freezing. How the heck do you wash your hands with warm water? There's two different temperatures coming from two different taps! It's not even like they're coming from one tap. The only way to get warm water is to pug up the sink and fill it up with a mix of scalding hot and freezing cold water and wash your hands in the pool of water. It seems like it'd even be more work to plumb two different taps.<br /><br />Anyway, I really miss things being easy and convenient. I miss things happening quickly and effortlessly. I do love living here and if I were given the chance to move back right now, I probably wouldn't. But it would be nice to have a few of these things just to help out a little bit.http://www.jessismore.com/2010/02/lack-of-convenience.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jess)0